Reflex camera



REFLEX CAMERA I Filed April 12, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 42 t! W L ,Inven Alp/was D. Johnson A. D. JOHNSON REFLEX CAMERA July 18, 1939.

Filed April 12, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 a 64AIpIzezzsBJoII/2Son Patented July 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE one-half Mo.

to Martin J. Welsh, Kansas City,

Application April 12, 1937, Serial No. 136,409

4 Claims. (01. 95-57) My invention relates to an improvement in reflex cameras.

The object of this invention is to provide a reflex camera in which the mirror element is a part of the shutter mechanism. Another object is to provide a reflex camera in which the closing curtain travels in the same direction as the mirror element so that an opening the full width of the camera is provided so that equal exposure of light is made the fuil'width of the light sensitive plate.

A further object is to provide a reflex camera of the kind mentioned in which the space of time between the opening of the mirror element and ll the closing of the curtain may be finely adjusted.

Another object is to provide a reflex camera of the kind mentioned, in which the shutters may be timed or set after the slide is withdrawn from the plate or film holding device without expos- 20 ing the sensitive plate.

Another object is to provide a camera of the kind mentioned in which the shutters operate in a positive light tight relationship to the walls of the camera.

5 These and other objects will be more fully explained as this description progresses.

Now referring to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a side view of my improved reflex camera, the camera being folded for carrying pur- 30 poses. Fig. 2 is a side view of a portion of the camera having the cover plate removed therefrom and showing the mechanism employed in operating the several parts of the camera, the mechanism being set in such a position that the 5 shutters are set for making an exposure. Fig. 3 is in the position assumed after the exposure has been made. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the camera, parts being removed and broken away for convenience of illustration. Fig. 5 is a detail sec- 40 tional view taken along the line 5-5 in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the time pointer arm and associated parts. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the several parts of the timing device, and the operating mechanism for the mirror shutter and 45 for releasing the closing shutter at the right instant, the mechanism being shown in the released position. Fig. 8 is a side view of the same parts shown in Fig. '7, except that they are in the set position. Fig. 9 is a detail of thestrip 5 mechanism for the shutter mechanism. Fig-1Q is a detail of the governing device for timing the shutter. Fig. 11 is a sectional view through the camera, the section being taken along the line, ll-ll in Fig. 4, the shutters being closed and u in a position ready to expose the light sensitive plate. Fig. 12 is a sectional view through the front shutter portion of the camera, the view being taken along the line I l-l l in Fig. '4, and the shutters being in the position following the exposure of the light sensitive plate. Fig. 13 is a 6 side view of the opposite side of the camera from that shown in Fig. 2, the side plates being removed to show the working parts of the camera. Fig. -14 is a detail sectional view of the light tight joint between the mirror shutter element and 10 the side walls of the camera.

Similar numerals of reference designate the same parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings is shown my improved reflex 15 camera which comprises a box like element of the usual type having side walls l5 and I6, bottom l1 and an open top which is covered with a ground glass H8. The front of the camera is provided with the usual lens element [9, bellows 20, and adjustable mechanism for focusing the lens, and at the rear of the camera is the usual film or plate holder 22.

In the box like element is the mirror element 23, carried in the frame element 24, that is rigidly mounted on a shaft 25, that is pivotally mounted in the side walls 55 and it, of the camera, one end of the shaft 25 projecting through the walls i5 and iii of the camera for purposes that will be later described.

At 26 is a frame element within the box and spanning between the walls l5 and it, said element extending from the top of the box towards the shaft 25 and terminating in a flexible light tight joint between the elements 26 and the mounting of the frame 2i on the shaft 25.

The side elements of the frame 24 are provided with a soft covering such as apiece of velvet or wool cloth 2i that will engage the side walls i5 and I6 sufficiently to prevent the passage of light thereby and still allow the free swing of the frame 24 within the box.

On the lower end of the frame 24 is a V- shaped element 28, one side of which slides over the upper edge of a shield element 29 and rests against a stop element 30 that is positioned on the shield element 29. The other edge of the element 28 is hingedly attached at 3| to a light shield element 32, which is urged in an anticlockwise direction by a spring 33, the outer end of the shield 32 projects beneath a cross bar 34 which is positioned at the bottom of the opening 35 so as to further preserve the light tight quality of the camera. At the ends of the cross bar 34 and at the sides of the opening 35 is a tapering element 36, along which the ends of the light shield 32 will slide as the mirror shutter element 24 swings up or down to open the exposure opening 35 or to reset the shutter and frame therefor preparatory for the exposure of the light sensitive plate.

When the mirror element 24 swings to its raised position, the upper side of the V-shaped element 28 engages a V-shaped cross member 31, whereby a light tight joint is efiected between the outer end of the mirror shutter element 24 and the front portion of the camera.

At either side of the opening 35 is a track element 38, which terminates in a curved formation 38a at a point below the opening 35. In the track element 38 is a flexible curtain element 39, the lower end of which is attached to the outer end of arm elements 40, which are rigidly mounted on a shaft 4|, in such a manner that when the shaft 4| is revolved, the curtain 39 will be pushed upwardly in the track 38 to close the opening 35. One end of the shaft 4| extends through the side wall l5 of the camera and on the end of the shaft 4| is a gear wheel 42, the object of which will be later explained.

On the shaft 25 and on the outside of the wall i6 is a lever arm 43, one end of which is rigidly mounted on the shaft 25. At 44 is a helical spring, which is carried in a mounting 45 that is pivotally attached at 46 to the lower end of the lever arm 43. The other end of the spring 44 terminates in a socket element 4'! which is provided with an extending portion 48 that is provided with a threaded hole to receive a threaded shaft 49, the shaft 49 is also revolvably carried in a bearing 58 that is rigidly attached to the wall 16 of the camera. The shaft 49 is also provided with a shoulder 5| which rests as a thrust bearing against the bearing element 50, so that by turning the shaft 49 the elements 41 and 48 are moved to tighten .or loosen the tension of the spring 44.

At 52 is an indicating arm which is rigidly attached to the elements 4'|-48 extending upwardly therefrom, so that by looking downwardly on the camera as in Fig. 4, the end of the arm 52 will be seen in the notch 53 as an indicator of the tension 44.

The object of the spring 44 is to pull the lever arm 43 so as to revolve the shaft 25 to raise the mirror shutter element 24 from the position shown in Fig. 11 to that shown in Fig. 12.

On the other end of the shaft 25 is the timing device, which comprises, preferably a disc 54 which is revolvably mounted on the shaft 25. The disc 54 is provided with ear like elements 55 by which the disc 54 may be revolved. In the disc 54 is a pair of curved slots 56 and 5'l. The disc 54 is also provided with a graduation reading plate 58, which is provided with a curved slot 59, through which projects a pointer element 60, which indicates the interval of time that is to be allowed between the opening of the mirror shutter element 23-24 and the closing of the curtainshutter element 39. The pointer 60 is mounted on a pointer arm 6|, in which is rigidly mounted a threaded stud 62 which passes through the curved slot 51 and is provided with a wing clamp nut 63, whereby the pointer arm 6| may be revolved behind the disc 54 to adjusted positions and the disc 54 and the pointer arm.6| may then be locked together by tightening the wing nut 63 on the stud 62.

It will be understood that the pointer arm' 6| 'is revolvably mounted on the sleeve portion 54a which is integral with the disc 54. At 64 is an element extending from the bearing of the pointer element 6| which is adapted to engage a pin 65 that is rigidly mounted on a lever element 66 which is also revolvably mounted on the sleeve element 54a.

The sleeve element 64a is provided with a flange element 541) which is provided with an extension on which is rigidly mounted a pin 61. The pin 61 is adapted to engage a lever arm 68, which is rigidly mounted 'on the shaft 25, which is revolvably carried in a bearing 69 that is rigidly attached tothe side wall l5 of the camera. The

disc 54 is provided witha projecting catch element 10. At H is a link element that is pivotally attached to the lever arm 66, the outer end of which adjustably engages a" leaf spring 12, which is rigidly attached to a bearing support element 13 which is rigidly attached to the wall l5 of the'camera, and the spring continues as a portion or end 120 and rests against a pin 13 which is rigidly mounted on a lever arm 14 which is rigidly connected to an L-shaped trip lever 15, the upper end of which engages the catch element 10 on the disc 54 so that the disc 54 may be turned in a clockwise direction, thereby rocking the arm carrying the pin 61 so that the pin 61 will engage the arm 68 and thereby rotate the shaft 25 so as to drop the mirror shutter element 23-24 to the lowered position as shown in Fig. 11, and at the same time the catch element 10 on the disc 54will pass the end of the L-shaped trip lever I5 so as to hold the disc and the mirror shutter element in the positions shown in Fig. 11 and Fig. 2. At 16 is a gear rack which is pivotally connected at ll to the lever arm 66. The rack 16 engages a gear wheel 18 which is revolvably mounted on a stud 19,

one end of which is rigidly mounted on the wall l5, and the other end is carried in a bearing on the bearing bracket 13. Rigidly attached to the gear wheel 18 is a ratchet wheel 80, which is revolvably mounted over a gear wheel 8| that is also revolvably mounted on the stud 19. The wheel 8| is provided with a pawl 82, that is pivotally mounted on the wheel 8|, and is adapted to engage the teeth on the ratchet wheel 88 by reason of the urge of a spring 83 that is rigidly attached to the wheel 8|, so that the ratchet wheel will drive the gear wheel 8| in a clockwise direction but not in an anti-clockwise direction. At 84 is a small pinion that is rigidly mounted on a shaft 85, the pinion 84 being in mesh with the gear 8|, so that as the gear 8| revolves it will drive the gear 84 and the shaft 85. The shaft 85 is revolvably carried in a hearing which is a part of a brake drum 86 that is carried on a support element 81 which is rigidly attached to the sidewall |5 of the camera. Within the brake drum element 86 is a cross arm 88 which is rigidly mounted on the shaft 85. In the brake drum-86 is a pair of brake shoes' 89 and 98. One end of each brake shoe being pivoted to the outer ends of the cross arm 88, so that as the cross arm is revolved the brake shoes will engage the brake drum by reason of centrifugal force. This device provides a governor which controls the speed with which the wheel 8| may revolve.

The gear rack 16 is carried in a slide guide 9|, which is pivotally mounted on the stud I9, the object of which will be later described.

At 92 is a lever element that is also pivotally mounted on the stud 19. The upper end of the lever element 92 is provided with an outwardly projecting element 90, the object of which will be later explained, and on the upper end of the lever element 92 is a bifurcated element having the parts 04 and 95, the object of which will also be latter explained.

At 96 is a stop latch element that is pivotally mounted at 91 on a pin that is rigidly mounted on the wall I5 of the camera, theother end of the element 96 is provided with a notch 90, which is adapted to receive and hold the element 95 against rotary movement about the point 91. The element is also provided with a support element 99, which is adtpted'to engage an L-shaped element I00 0n the arm 00.

On the lower end of the lever 92 is a gear segment IOI, which is in mesh with a gear wheel 42, that is rigidly mounted on the shaft II, which carries the operating levers 40, that operate the shutter curtain 39. 1

At I03 is a release lever that is pivotally mounted at I04 0n the wall I5 of the camera. On one end of the release lever I03, is a thumb release element I05. On the other end of the release lever I09 is a bevel ended element I00, which engages the pin 19 for purposes that will be later described.

At I01 is a lever arm which is an integral part of the lever arm 92 and at I00 is a link element. one end of which is pivotally attached to the lever arm I01 and the other end engages a spring I09, which is rigidly mounted at "-0 on an element that is supported by the wall ll of the camera. The spring I09 is so tensioned as to push on the end of the link I", the object of which will be later described.

The operation of my improved camera is as follows. The light sensitive plate is positioned in the plate holder 22 and the slide-may be removed from the plate holder to expose the plate to the interior of the camera, then the disc 5| is rotated in a clockwise direction, whereupon the lip element 64 engages the pin 05 to swing the arm 66, also in a clockwise direction and the pin 61 will engage the lever arm 00, whereby the lever arm 68 will also be swung in a clockwise direce tion, thereby revolving the shaft 25-and swinging the reflector shutter element '2324 to the down position as shown in Fig. 11, and simultaneously with this action, the gear rack 15 is drawn to the position shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the catch 10 engages the latch to hold the several parts in the position just described.

At the time the reflector shutter element 23-24 and the rack gear 15 are set as just described, the lever arm 68 engages the element 94 on the lever 92 whereby the lever 92 is rocked to the position shown in Fig. 2, thereby rotating the gear wheel 42 in a clockwise direction which pulls the shutter curtain 39 downwardly in the track 38-300 to open the opening 35, and the spring I09 will pu sh'on the link I09 to push the levers I01 and 92 to retain the shutter curtain 39 in the open position.

The exposure is now ready to be made, and is accomplished by pressing downwardly on the thumb release I05, whereupon the element I09 pushes the pin 13 in an anti-clockwisedirection against the spring ,12a whereby the levers 14 and 15 are pushed to the dotted position shown in Fig. 9, whereupon the end of the lever 15 is removed from under the catch element 10 on the disc 54, whereupon the disc 54 and its associated Darts are permitted to revolve anti-clockwise and upon the release of the disc 54, the spring 44 will instantly pull the lever 43 to rotate the shaft 25 so as to raise the reflector element -24 to the raised position as shown in Fig. 12, whereupon the sensitive plate is exposed to the light coming through the entire space of the opening 35.

Simultaneously with the movement of the refiector element 2324 the arm 64 disengages the pin 65 to release the lever arm 66, whereupon the spring 12 pulls the arm 66 in a clockwise direction to revolve the wheel 8| in a clockwise direction. The speed of the wheel BI is retarded by the governor device on the shaft 85, so that the movement of the arm 66 is slow and as the arm 66 revolves the rack housing 9| will engage the lip element 93 on the lever element 92.

Prior to the time the element 9| engages the lip element 93, the element I00 on the lever element 68 engaged and raised the element 99-95 so as to release the lever element 92 for movement, so that as the rack housing element 9| advances, it will engage the stop 93 and rock the levers 92 and I01 to a point where the pivot point |01a passes the center line between the stud 19 and the outer end of the link I08 whereupon the pressure of the spring I 09 speeds the movement of the lever 92 in excess of the movement imparted to that lever by the rack housing 9|. This movement .is released from the-control of the governor by reason of the pawl and ratchet device above described and the movement of the lever 92 is practically instantaneous.

When the lever 92 is rocked, the gear segment |0I revolves the gear 42 to operate the shutter curtain as previously described.

Attention is called to the fact that there has been a considerable interval of time between the raising of the reflector shutter 23-24 and the closing of the shutter curtain 39 which has allowed time for slow exposure of the light sensitive plate.

Now the device may be adjusted to govern any interval of time from a slow exposure to an instantaneous exposure. This adjustment is made as follows: The Wing nut 63 is loosened so that the lever arm 6| may be moved in an anti-clockwise direction, whereupon the lever 66 is moved to a position where the rack guide 9| engages or.

shown in Fig. 12 and the lever arm 9| is immediately swung so as to immediately close the shutter curtain 39 and thereby an instantaneous exposure of the light sensitive plate has been accomplished.

Intermediate intervals of time for exposing the light sensitive plate may be accomplished by positioning the lever 6| and pointer 60 at any desired point between the instantaneous action and the slow action.

Such modifications may be employed as lie within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intention of the invention, Now having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. In a reflex camera, said camera having an opening shutter that is swingably mounted in said camera and rigidly mounted on a revolvable shaft, and a closing curtain in said camera that is operable from a second revolvable shaft, a mechanism for revolving the first said shaft so as to open the camera at the beginning of a predetermined interval of time, and for revolving the second said shaft at'the end of the said predetermined interval of time so as to close the camera, and adjustment means in said mechanism for governing 'the length of time between movements of said shafts for the opening and closing movement of said shutter and curtain.

2. In a reflex camera, said camera having an opening shutter that is swingabiy mounted in said camera and rigidly mounted on a revoivable shaft, and a closing curtain in said camera that is operable from a second revolvable shaft, a mechanism for revolving the first said shaft so as to open the camera at the beginning of a predetermined interval of time, and for revolving the second said shaft at the end of the said predetermined interval of time so as to close the camera, and adjustment means in said mechanism for governing the length of the interval of time between movements of said shafts for the opening and closing movement of said shutter and curtain, said mechanism for revolving said shafts comprising a spring tensioning means for revolving the first said shaft so as to swing the said opening shutter to open the camera, a lever rigidly mounted on the first said shaft, and a hubbed disc revolvably mounted on the first said shaft, the hub of said disc having a pin thereon that overlaps the said lever so as to engage the said lever and rotate the first said shaft against the spring tension upon the turning of said disc, a releasing catch element, and means on said disc for holding the said disc and the first said shaft against rotation urged by said spring tension therefor; a gear wheel rigidly mounted on the second said shaft, and a gear segment in mesh therewith, said gear segment being carried On one end of a T-shaped lever element that is pivotally mounted at the juncture of the T-formation at a point intermediate the first and second said shafts, the opposite end of the T- head being bifurcated, a releasable stop element, said stop element engaging one of said bifurcations so as to hold the T-shaped lever and associated parts in such a position that the curtain shutter is held in an open position in the camera, and spring means engaging the leg of said T-shaped lever to also maintain the open position of said curtain shutter, the outer end of the first said lever element being adapted to engage the other bifurcation of the said T-shaped lever" for actuating purposes of the T-shaped lever and also to engage the said stop element for releasing the T-shaped lever for movement thereof, said T-shaped lever having a stop element thereon for engagement of another actuating ele ment for said T-shaped lever, a third lever element, said third lever element being revolvabiy mounted on the hub of the said disc, and means intermediate the third said lever and the said disc for adjustably stationing the third said lever relative to the fixed position of the said disc, and spring means for urging the outer end of the third said lever to swing toward the T-shaped lever, a rack element, said rack element being slidably carried in a guide element that is pivotally mounted at the same point as that of the T-shaped lever, one end of said rack being pivotally connected to the outer end of the third said lever so that as the outer end of the third said lever swings toward the T-shaped lever the guide element will, engage the stop element on the T-shaped lever so as to move the T-shaped lever which movement is spring accelerated to close the curtain shutter element.

3. In a reflex camera as defined in claim 2. and means for governing the speed with which the third said lever moves.

i, in a reflex camera as defined in claim 2, and means for governing the speed with which the third said lever moves, said governing means comprising a pinion that is revolvably mounted at the same point as the said T-shaped lever, said pinion being rigid with a ratchet wheel that is concentrically positioned with a gear wheel on which is mounted a spring actuated ratchet dog that will engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel so that the ratchet wheel will drive the said gear wheel, the said pinion being in mesh with the said rack so that the rack will drive the pinion, ratchet and associated gear wheel upon the movement of said rack and third said lever, a'

second pinion, said second pinion being in mesh with the second said gear wheel and being rigidly mounted on a shaft, a brake drum, said brake drum being rigidly mounted on the frame work of the camera and revolvably carrying the shaft on which the second said pinion is mounted, brake shoes, said brake shoes being positioned within said brake drum and pivotally carried on a mounting on the shaft carrying the second said pinion so that as the shaft and brake shoes revolve the brake shoes will be thrown against the brake drumso as to rub on the brake drum and retard the speed of the shaft and gear train up 5 to and including the said rack and lever attached thereto.

ALPHEUS D. JOHNSON. 

